Hollywood has given us a number of good movies that celebrate and illustrate the important role teachers play in shaping the lives of their students. Besides giving us a strong base in academics, they've also taught us life lessons that have helped us get through everyday hurdles and challenges.

Here's a list of top five Hollywood movies that show the sacrifices and efforts teachers make to improve the quality of life of their wards.

Dead Poets Society: Robin Williams plays the role of an English teacher, John Keating, who inspires his students to break the shackles of tradition and pursue their dreams.

Notable Quote: "No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world."

Karate Kid: A kid who is bullied learns to channel his anger in a positive way, thanks to his kung fu master Han, played by Jackie Chan. Han teaches Dre (Jaden Smith) that serenity and concentration is more powerful than kicks and punches.

Notable Quote: "You have taught me very important lesson, Xiao Dre. Life will knock us down, but we can choose whether or not to stand back up."

Finding Forrester: Released in 2000, the flick explores the relationship between an eccentric novelist and a budding athlete-writer. Soon, the duo strikes an unlikely friendship and William (Sean Connery) helps Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown) improve his writing skills.

Notable Quote: "Someone I once knew wrote that we walk away from our dreams afraid that we may fail or worse yet, afraid we may succeed. You need to know that while I knew so very early that you would realize your dreams, I never imagined I would once again realize my own. Seasons change young man, and while I may have waited until the winter of my life, to see the things I've seen this past year, there is no doubt I would have waited too long, had it not been for you."

Mona Lisa Smile: In this 2003 released movie, an art teacher named Katherine Ann Watson (Julia Roberts) strives to make her female wards realise that there is more to life than getting married and settling down.

Notable Quote: "My teacher, Katherine Watson, lived by her own definition, and would not compromise that. Not even for Wellesley. I dedicate this, my last editorial, to an extraordinary woman who lived by example and compelled us all to see the world through new eyes. By the time you read this, she'll be sailing to Europe, where I know she'll find new walls to break down and new ideas to replace them with."

Blackboard Jungle: This 1955 movie is based on a novel of the same name by Evan Hunter. A teacher attempts to divert his students' attention from anti-social behaviour to the importance of getting a good education. He gets physically abused for his efforts, but doesn't give up.

Notable Quote: "I've been beaten up, but I'm not beaten. I'm not beaten, and I'm not quittin'."

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